Lewis & Clark Reunion Trip
June 24-25, 2025
TUESDAY, June 24
Baker City to Hood River Plus
297 miles (more or less!)
We are off on a short quick jaunt to Portland, leaving home at 8:40, Ginger driving the first shift! Smooth sailing on a beautiful summer morning, but we are prepared for hotter weather as we head west!
We pull off at the east end of Hood River and head up Hwy 35 toward Mt. Hood – planning to take the ‘Fruit Loop’ of the orchards south of Hood River. It is early in the season, however, so not much fruit in the stands yet. We stop at a couple and then head on in to Parkdale, where Rick has scoped out a brewery! We eat lunch outside with a beautiful view of Mt. Hood. As I look at the map, I say ‘it is only 8 miles up to Cooper Spur – we should drive up there!’ So we take the windy road up, only to find the ski area gated off, and the road on up to Cloud Cap closed as well. Rats! Alternate route back down to Hwy 35 where I suggest another short detour to check out Tamalia Falls. We find the parking trailhead and it is a zoo of cars. No go! So back down the fruit loop and into Hood River. We stop to gas up (Baker gas prices are the cheapest in the state I think!) and then at a grocery store to get a few things for our evening at the lodge.
Westcliff Lodge is just west of the old Columbia River Gorge Hotel and it is NICE! (Should be for the price!) We have a balcony that overlooks gorgeous flowered landscaping with giant redwood trees outside our balcony. I’m going to take a walk later around the grounds to take some flower pictures!
And oh my! The grounds here are beautiful! Flowers filled with lilies of every color, hydrangeas, petunias, roses, foxglove, and more!! Terraced lawns overlooking the river (I saw over 25 windsurfers) and event backdrops for weddings, etc. A big central firepit and tables. I stopped by the office to pick up some caffeinated coffee – we had ended up with just decaf in the room.
Back to the room to read, write, and watch a little TV.
Mount Hood from our lunch stop 
Rick enjoying our lunch 
View of Hood from restaurant with flowers 
Flowers right outside lobby
WEDNESDAY, June 25
50th Reunion Luncheon
Home to Baker City, OR
Up at 6:30 to work on computer
for an hour before suggesting to Rick (who was now up) that we take a
walk so he could see some of the grounds. Ended up out at the river
overlook and then found the trail that bordered the edge of the cliff
beyond the Glamping Tent area. Fabulous views down river – more
wind surfers out even at the early hour. A good west wind blowing!
And we found an abundance of ripe Oregon grape berries I would have
loved to pick! 
View down river from our walk
Headed into Portland at 9:45am. Smooth sailing until we hit the Banfield and an accident that slowed things down more than normal traffic! But still we were at the Spaghetti Factory shortly before 11. I hung out in the parking lot until I saw several folks go in that I recognized!
The next 3 ½ hours were a delight of hugs, great memories, catching up, not to mention some good food! First person I saw was Cathy Echo (Sleeth) who didn’t appear to have changed much at all! Debby Herr and Melissa McBratney had coordinated much of this with the help of LC athletic department. Debby was wearing a mask as she is caregiving for her sister fighting cancer. Melissa looked blond to me so I didn’t recognize her – she said it was her well earned graying!
Gradually the room filled with mostly teammates I knew – Judy Willis, Jandy, and Willie and Sheri who flew in from Hawaii! Oh, plus Kathy Cristoff who flew in from Indiana! Cori Burgess and Linda Kelly were on zoom for about a half hour as folks gathered. Rick saw me into the room and then disappeared for the next 3 hours! He walk the riverfront park in both directions, enjoyed a pannini from the factory, and did crosswords puzzles and read in the car until I called him at 2:15!!
Mary Hunter and Marti Park arrived right at 11:30. Mary is now 88 and Marti 78. Easy to recognize both! Marti gave me the highest compliment when she told Mary yesterday, ‘the person I really want to see is Ginger’. Marti was my supervising teacher for my student teaching (which I learned I was only her 3rd – Debby Herr being her 2nd!) After a group photo, a speech by Mary, and the LC Atheletic Director, we finally sat down to eat around 12:45! I sat between Judy and Marti – perfect!! The folks I knew best! Jandy was right across from me, but I didn’t get a chance to talk much with her as she was in much conversation with Melissa!
BTW, I enjoyed a wild mushroom ravioli with pesto/alfredo sauce, salad, bread, and spumoni ice cream!
Debby had prepared scrapbooks for Mary – filled with our ‘histories’ as well as our letters of appreciation for what Mary has meant to us. She also had team photos from the 75 basketball and volleyball teams. It was fun looking through it. Mary had also brought some of her scrapbooks from the years.
I called Rick around 2:15 to come in and say hi to Mary. He did Outdoor School with her as part of his Teaching Certification in 1981. They visited for about 10-15 minutes and then it was time to hit the road!
Lots of traffic getting out of Portland, but by the time we hit Gresham we were home free. Rick drove us to The Dalles where we stopped to get drinks – both of us were thirsty! I drove until the Stanfield rest area, and Rick took us on home. Smooth trip and into our driveway just before 8pm.
I have a contact sheet of addresses, phone numbers, and emails for everyone Debby contacted. Three teammates have passed and 6 others did not attend for whatever reasons (eg Cori and Linda) I will keep in better touch with some of them, but as Judy Willis told everyone, “Ginger actually still sends out Christmas cards/letters, so I have kept up with the changes in her life!” A fun time!!
 |
| Liz Warren and Cathy Echo (Sleeth) |
 |
| Marti Park and Mary Hunter |
 |
| Jandy, Kathy Cristoff, and Cath |
 |
| Myself with Marti and Mary |
 |
| Rick and Mary |
 |
| An old basketball picture - I am in middle of front row |
.jpeg) |
| Our group 50 years later... Back: Willie Williams, Kathy Cristoff, Cathy Echo, Sheri Cockett, Myself, Liz Warren, Jandy, Judy Simonson Front: Debbie Herr, Marti, Mary, Melissa McBratney |
 |
| Judy and Ginger |
 |
| Rick and Mary |
No comments:
Post a Comment